A separator and collector for crankcase emissions of an internal combustion engine has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,309. Such a separator and collector uses a container or vessel having an open top covered by a cap provided with inlet, outlet and air intake ports. A porous housing containing small discrete particles of inert material is in the container across the path between the inlet port and the outlet port to separate the emissions into liquid, solid and gaseous portions. The cap has a shiftable, spring biased piston which normally closes the air intake port so long as the piston is not subjected to a vacuum by virtue of a connection of the cylinder containing the piston with the distributor vacuum advance unit of the internal combustion engine with which the separator and collector is used. This arrangement has been proven satisfactory but does require that a separate line be connected to the chamber holding the piston with the vacuum advance unit. Notwithstanding the satisfactory operation of this separator and collector, it is desired to improve the construction of the separator and collector to assure more efficient operation with a fewer number of parts and without having to connect the piston chamber with the vacuum advance unit of the distributor of the engine.